32

Guiding Questions:

What are your initial thoughts about the concept of Literacy with ICT (LwICT)?

• To me, this topic is essential to education. If you look at the core goal of education, to develop positively contributing members of society, then the question has to be asked, how can you succeed in this goal if you ignore the one of the biggest and fastest growing aspect of today's youths lives - meaning technology?
• No matter what job our students obtain in the future, the probability of them having to use Information and Communications Technology is almost 100%. This includes those who plan to enter post-secondary education, those who go into a trade, or those who decide to join the work force immediately.

What implementation barriers for LwICT do you foresee at Senior Years?

• I believe that one of the biggest barriers for LwICT at the Senior Years level is teachers who are stuck in their ways. As someone who is relatively new to this profession, I have already encountered more senior teachers who have used the excuse "well I am too old to learn how to use that technology" or "the way I have been doing things has always worked in the past so why would I go through the time and effort to change"
• I also believe that funding is a very large barrier. It would be much easier to implement LwICT if every classroom had an adequate number of computers -- or for that matter, computers at all.
• There is a great deal of discussion on how to use technology such as cell phones and iTouches within the classroom, but what do you do with that student whose family simply can not afford to get a cell phone. In an instance such as this, I believe that you would have created a conflict with something such as Bill 13 (which is centred on the belief that all students should be given equal opportunity) in that now you have segregated those who can not afford technology from those who can. Without the funding coming from divisions themselves so that each student has access to the same technology, how can teachers be sure that all students are being given the same opportunities

What opportunities does LwICT present for Senior Years?

• To put it simply, the opportunities are limitless. There are opportunities to reach a more diverse group of learning styles, as well as opportunities to create more interactive, engaging, and meaningful lessons. Teachers will have a greater ability to show students how topics could be used in REAL life, as well as the chance to improve the skills required for the work world along with the knowledge.
• There is also a greater chance, through literacy with ICT, that teachers can collaborate other subject areas as well. For instance, the English teacher can incorporate math and graphs into research papers through the use of Microsoft Excel.

What professional learning is required initially to prepare Senior Years teachers to begin to use the LwICT continuum?

• There needs to be a greater awareness of resources available, along with examples/tutorials on how these resources could be used in the classroom. For example, before today I had no idea that the website polleverywhere.com existed, although I can see the way the site could be applied within the classroom.

What types of ICT do you currently have in your Senior Years classroom?

• Because I am the Senior Years ICT teacher, I utilize a variety of resources such as: Digital Cameras, Digital Video, Software Applications, Projectors, Wireless Presenter Mouse, email, websites/wikis, laptops as well as eMacs, and television.
• I have not, as yet, done anything with cell phones or iTouches because of division policy against their use in the classroom.

What types of ICT are available to you in your school, but not in your classroom?

• Being the ICT teacher in my school, there is very little ICT within the school that I do not have access too. I guess the biggest tool that I would like to have is a smartboard.

What subjects and grades do you teach and how do you currently use ICT to enhance student learning?

• I teach Grade 9 Applying ICT 115, ICT 215, Consumer 20-40, and Math 10f
• The methods I have incorporated into my class include
  • Use of blogs to discuss various topics within the subject areas
  • Use of Wikis to develop online subject portfolios
  • Use of various software programs to complete different projects
  • Use of email to answer student questions that they come up with outside of school hours
  • Use of a class website to keep students and parents informed of deadlines/important events, as well as links to assignment instructions and topic resources
  • Use of Digital camera/video for subject projects
  • Use of PowerPoint, Videos, Audio clips, online games to help reach more learning styles